My Religious Heritage

Before I continue much further I wanted to acknowledge how religion and spirituality played into the lives of my parents and my other ancestors. Though we are not defined by the past, I find it valuable to understand and learn about those who came before us.

My father was raised in a Protestant tradition. The primary religious figure from my father's side was my great-great grandfather who was a minster at a local church where he lived. Folk religion and some mysticism also colored the religious experience of my father's ancestors. My grandfather and his siblings were involved in dowsing or divining. This is the process of using a dowsing rod, a two pronged branch or stick to find water. My great-uncle was famous for the use of these skills in Michigan to help people dig wells.

 My dad's parents were not very religious but made sure that for at least for a while in his youth that he attended a church. My dad was a very intelligent and curious youth and asked lots of questions to those in his Sunday School class. His teachers were not very impressed and became annoyed with his questions. For all intents and purposes he was kicked out of Sunday School for his questioning. He would encounter others that were not very accepting of his questioning attitude regarding religious matters. As he got older and especially in college he investigated many different religions and spiritual traditions.

My mom came from a Catholic background. Her mother, Nona, was the spiritual head of the family. Nona's mother, my great-grandmother was said to have many visions and dreams. Nona inherited many of these aspects as well. Nona was not well versed in the scriptures but she was very intelligent and had ideas and opinions on all sorts of religious matters, even though some of them conflicted with the religion she was raised in. My mom enjoyed the formality and ritual aspects of Catholicism. They gave her a sense of comfort and predictability.

The heritage of my ancestors have played a critical role in my personal spiritual journey. My father's curiosity and quest for truth and spiritual knowledge has played a critical role in my own spiritual journey. My grandfather taught my brother and I about dowsing, it is believed to skip a generation in my family so my father was never involved in dowsing. I have never done much with it, but along with the dreams of my mother's side it reinforced to me about the concept and importance of spiritual gifts. The belief that spiritual gifts are given to many if not all of God's children, forms one of my most core beliefs (See 1 Cor 12:4-12). Though in my mother's family it appears that the gift of dreams goes through the female descendants, I feel I have inherited this heritage in my own life (apparently I have embraced my feminine side). I am grateful for the great spectrum of spirituality displayed in my ancestry. I believe that it has made my life more full and broadened my horizons.

Have you had a chance to study the beliefs and religion of your ancestors? What have you learned from their lives and how have you used it to enrich your own spiritual journey?